Every week we get at least 20 men and women with fungal toenail infections. Some come in specifically for this problem, as it’s now causing them discomfort and they hate the way their nails look. Others come in for other pains and aches, and then casually mention their infection too.

Recently, we had a mum bring her 14-year-old son in for the third time for the same problem: an ingrown toenail on the inside of his right big toe.

If pointing your toes upwards and moving your foot up on the ankle has become difficult for you, you could be suffering from foot drop. Whether the problem has developed suddenly, like following an accident, or has been worsening over time, being unable to lift your foot means you may have difficulty walking without your toes hitting the ground, which puts you at risk of tripping and falling.

We’re very excited to introduce a very special range of nail polish that isn’t like any others available on the market - the Dr’s Remedy range. We love this 40-colour range, not only because it’s formulated by podiatrists to do all the right things by your nails, but also because they weren’t designed with the ‘create a product for the sake of it’ approach employed by many beauty brands.

Varicose veins are a common condition here in Australia, with worldwide prevalence rates estimated to be around 25%. While some people go decades without mentioning the presence of prominent veins to a healthcare practitioner, there are known dangers associated with prominent veins that can make it a concerning matter - both cosmetically and medically. Today, we thought we’d shed some light onto varicose veins, what exactly they are, how they appear - and whether you should be concerned.

You’re lying in bed, resting, feeling great… and all of a sudden your foot starts *scrunching* up like a claw and leaving you in agony. You try your best to move your foot into different positions to ease the pain. 90% of the positions don’t work, but you find one that gives you a little relief… so you hold it.

If you’re getting seemingly spontaneous waves of burning feelings in the feet - or if burning feet are keeping you awake at night - you’re definitely not alone. It can be quite alarming to feel unusual sensations that seem outside of your control - especially when you can’t pinpoint a specific cause or trigger.

Almost one million Australians currently have osteoporosis, with one in four women aged over 75 years being affected. As this condition skyrockets your vulnerability to bone fractures and associated hospitalisations, it’s important to understand why and how osteoporosis develops and who is at risk. Today, our podiatrists have shared all of this and what you can do to help protect your bone health if you develop osteoporosis.

Every 15 hours, a child in Australia is born with cerebral palsy (CP). CP is currently the most common physical disability in childhood, where the signs become evident within the first 12-18 months of a child’s life, and the effects are life-long. When it comes to the feet and legs, CP can significantly affect a person’s mobility and independence.

You have a specific joint along the middle of your foot called the Lisfranc joint. In simple terms, it’s where the long bones of your feet (metatarsals) meet your tarsal bones that are present in the third of your foot closest to your ankle.

Feeling pain at the front of your ankle when you try to point your toes and foot upwards?
This is a classic indicator of an anterior ankle impingement. Simply speaking, this occurs when the resulting space between your bones at the ankle as you point your foot up is very small to the point that it pinches or irritates tissues, tendons, vessels or other structures.

We’ll admit - sometimes, particularly during certain sporting seasons, we could swear that ‘pulled hammies’ are the most common injury given how many walk (or specifically, limp) into the clinic here at The Podiatrist!

So you have - or suspect that you have - a torn meniscus. But what does this really mean - and more importantly - how long until you can get back to feeling great and not having a painful knee? Today, our podiatry team is talking about meniscus tears, recovery and what you can do to stop it happening again.

Simon is a 20-year-old university student. He has been playing basketball since he was 10 years old, and is now on his university basketball team. He trains three times per week and goes to the gym frequently, too.

Every once in a while, we come across a less common but very serious foot condition at just the right time. Today, we thought we’d share one that could have easily been missed, but where we as podiatrists could make a real difference to the well-being of a patient through early detection.

If your regular sporting or daily activities have started causing you pain at the back of your heel..

You wake up and slowly begin to get out of bed, hoping that you won’t feel it but.. Ouch! Nope, there it is.

You’ve noticed your nail changing for some time now. The colour may be gradually changing to a yellow or a white.. There may seem to be more build up beneath the nail and it may be starting to lift away.

Sever's disease is a common cause of heel pain in active children. Sever's disease, also called calcaneal apophysitis, occurs when the growth plate of the heel is injured by excessive forces during early adolescence.

The consequences are pictured below.

The end of January means the holidays are over and it’s back to school for millions of school children. It is also the time of year when sports start back meaning there is no better time to get your child’s feet checked by a podiatrist.